Friction shock-absorbing mechanism



a G. B. DOREY FRICTION SHOCKl ABSORBING MECHANISM u Filed Feb. 28, 19252 sheets-sheet a Patented Jan. 4, 1927.

A UNITED STATES PATENT crema, i

GEORGE B. DOREY, OF EVANSTON, ILLINOIS, ASSGNOR TO MNER, INC., OFCHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION. OF DELAWARE.

FRICCEION SHOCK-ABSORBI-NG MECHANISM.

Application filed February 28, 1925. Serial No. 12,207.

This invention relates to friction shock absorbing mechanisms.

One object of the invention is to provide a friction shock absorbingmechanism especially designed for railway draft riggings, wherein isprovided high capacity, together with assured release.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanism of thecharacter indicated, including a plurality of relatively movablefriction elements, together with means for forcing the frictionel-ements into intimate contact, said means including a plurality ofspring resisted rocking members.

'Still another object of the invention is to provide a friction shockabsorbing mechanism of simple construction, wherein a toggle action ofcertain of the ,pressure transmitting elements is utilized to effect agreater spring compression than the actual travel of the actuatingelements. v

A still further and more specific object of the invention is to providea shock absorbing mechanism, including front and rear 25 followeracting` members relatively movable toward each other and havinglongitudinally disposed friction surfaces with which friction elementscooperate, the friction elements being forced into intimate contact withthe friction surfaces of the followers by a plurality of rockers andcoacting wedge members.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will more clearly andfully appear from the description and claims hereinafter following.

In the drawings, forming a part of the specification, Figure 1 is ahorizontal, longitudinal, sectional view of a portion of a railway draftrigging, showing my improvements in connection therewith. And Figures 2and 3 are vertical, transverse, sectional views corresponding,respectively, to the lines 2-2 and 3*3 of Figure 1.

In said drawings, -10 indicate channel-shaped center or draftsills, tothe inner surfaces of which are secured front stop lugs 11-11 and rearstop lugs 12H12. The inner end portion of the drawbar is indicated at13, to which is operatively connected a hooded yoke 1st of well-knownform. The shock absorbing mechanism is operatively supported within theyoke and the yoke in turn is supported in operative position by adetachable saddle plate 15 secured The front and rear follower casings Aare of identical construction, each being of substantially hollowbox-like form having a transverse end wall 17, top and bottom walls18-18 and side walls 19-19. The end wall 17 of each casing is adapted tocooperate with the corresponding stop lugs in; the manner of the usualfollower. The inner ends of the casings A are spaced apart apredetermined distance in the normal release position of the parts asclearly shown in Figure. 1. This distance corresponds to the compressionstroke of the mechanism so that the casings will abut when the mechanismis fully compressed and the actuating force is transmitted directlythrough the casings to the corresponding stop lugs. Each casing isprovided with interior, longitudinally disposed friction surfaces 20 atthe opposite sides thereof. The side members B are also of likeconstruction, each being in the form of a relatively heavy rectangularplate having longitudinally disposed exterior friction surfaces adaptedto cooperate with the corresponding friction surfaces 2O of the frontand rear follower casings. Each side member is provided with a pair ofwedge faces 21 on the inner side thereof, the wedge fac-es beingdisposed at opposite ends of thc side member.

The front and rear wedge elements C are also of similar construction,each being in the form of a heavy, rectangular block having a centralopening 22 therethrough adapted to freely accommodate the correspondingend of the spring resistance element F. Each block is provided with apair of wedge faces 121 at the opposite sides thereof adapted tocooperate with the wedge faces 21 at the corresponding end of the sidemembers E. At the outer side, each wedge block has a pair of curvedbearing seals 23-23, the seats being disposed at opposite sides of theblock.

The rockers D are four in number, arranged in pairs at opposite ends ofthe mechanism within the corresponding follower casings. The rockers ofeach pair are of like construction, lout reversely arranged. Each rockerDy has a curved outer hearingv surface 24 adapted to cooperate with theinner surface of the transverse end wall lli of the correspondingfolloi-ver casing fi; a curved, relatively short inner hearing` surface25 adapted to hear on the corresponding springy follower plate lil; acurved 'fiilcrnm surface 123 at the outer end adapted to fulcruin 'inthe corr fiiliondinrr hearing;l i et 23 of the adjacent wed e liloclr C;au.z curved hearing' siii-face 2,6 at the inner side thereof, thatv is,the side nearest the longitudinal axis of' the inecl'ianisni, adapted tocooperate with the corresponding hearing surface 26 of the adjacentrocher of the pair.

rlhe main springresistance F which. con-V sists of a relatively lightinner coil and a relatively heavier outer coil is long i'itudinallydisposedniid has itsopposiitc ends hearing on the front andi-earfollower plates lil which are interposed between the spring and thecorresponding pairs of -rochers D. llach spring follower plate E isprovided with a boss 27' on the inner side thereof adapted to extendwithin the central coil of the spring` resistance to properly centerlthe saine.

rlhe operation'of the mechanism during a compression stroke is asfollows: is the front and rear follower casings A are inoved relativelytoward each other, the side ineinhers B are forced outwardly against thefric tionsurfaces ofv the follower casings hy the wedge acting elementsC, the pressure being transmitted to the.l latter fron the correspondingfollowers through the medium of the interposed rockers D. As thefollower casings A approach each other, the rochers arer swung inwardlyon their fiileruins, resisted by the main" spring` element- F. lt willhe evident that during,l this action, the curved hea-ring surfaces 25and 26' of' cach rocker will slide on the outer surface of thecorrespondingspring' follower' E and the inner surface of the end wall lof the correspond thv rehy effecting' a .gradually accelerated inwardmovement of the spring followers with reference to the casing's A..liiring this action ofA the rochers l), the ctlective leverage thereofwill he gradually decreased' diie to the gradually decroasi'ng'change ofratio of the effective lever arnis of the rochers, the length of thelever arm of each rocker cooperating with the front follower graduallydecreasir while th-e length of the e ai'in of the coiresponding rockerwhicii operates with the sprint` follower increases. The rochers thusact as toggle iiieans in transmitting the actuating; force from thefront and rear follower casiiibs to the rcspec follower casing' A,respectively,v

Leiaeee inercly illrstrative,V and l contemplate allV changes andiiiodilications that come within the scope of' the claims app-endedhereto.

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Y "on sho-ck ahsorhing` inecha` nisiii7 the. coinbii'iation with frontand7 rear foltoii'er acting' ni piliers, each havingl a pair tiniinalvdisposed friction surfaces disposed fi'ictioiiel`ei'iients w h thefriction surfaces of the front and rear follower iiieniherg; wedgeineens at the `front and; rear ends of the iii chaiiisni for forcingsaid elements against the friction siii-faces of the followers; powerii'iiiltiplying pressure transinitting ineens en(r ng with said followerinem spring; resistance o Dposing inward inovenu it of' sa l iressiiretransinittinfr means.

,r 2. in a triction shock absorbing mechanisin, the coii'ihination withfrontand rea relatively movable fol-lower casing's, each cas,-inghaving` longitudinally disposed friction surfaces thereon'lonfiitudiniill dis ,Osed

friction elements cooperatingr with the; fricA tion surfaces of the.frontA and rear follower casings; wedge means atthe; opposite endsof themechanism cooperating with said fric-` tion elements; a iiiain springresistance;y front and rear rockers interposed between the it' 'at andrear spring follower casings C, follower nienibers, said rockers n saidwedge ine-ans at the oppo,-` los of' the iiiecliaiiisin. y 3. In afriction shock absorbing mech-aii, the conihination with front and,yrear.

' asinas having` interiorl` longitudieleinents cooperating' with thefriction surfaces of the front andrear followers;` wedge, nioansengaging the opposite ends of said elements; a pair of pressuretransmitting elements fulcrunicd on each wedge means and having;-lhearingv on the cooperating fol,- lower casing; and a main spring.,resistance interposed between the rochers at the opoof site ends of theniechanisin.

4. In a friction shock ahsorl'iing` mechanisin; the combinationrelativeljr iiioval'ile follower casings having opposed, interiorlongitudinally disposed friction surfaces; of longitudinally disposed sand s id wedge ineans;l and a main "ith front and realiA lli-l) iin liti

friction elements cooperating With the friction surfaces of the casings,said elements having VWedge faces at the opposite ends thereof; a Wedgemember at each end of the mechanism having Wedge faces cooperating withthe corresponding Wedge faces of said elements; a longitudinallydisposed main spring resistance; Spring follower acting means atopposite ends of the mechanism; and rockers at opposite ends of themechanism bearing on the corresponding Wedge member, follower casing andspring follower.

5. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with frontand rear follower casings having longitudinally disposed frictionsurfaces thereon; of friction elements cooperating With the frictionsurfaces of the front and rear casings; Wedge means engaging theopposite ends of said elements; a main spring resistance; and toggleacting means for transmitting the actuating force from said followercasings to the Wedge means and main spring resistance element.

6. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with two endcasings each provided with opposed interior friction surfaces; of aspring resistance; friction elements each adapted to coact With frictionsurfaces on both of said casings; and Spreader means co-acting with theends of said friction elements, said means including rockers.

In Witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my namethis 11th day of February 1925.

GEORGE B. DOREY.

